Automatic railroad-accident preventer



F. RUBY.

AUTOMATIC RMLROAD ACCIDENT PREVENTER.

APPLlCATlON nuzo 050.15.1921.

1,414,376, Patented my 2, 1922.

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE. i

FRANK RUBY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

Application filed December 15,1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK RUBY, citizen of Hungary, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of F airfield and State of Connectiout, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railroad-Accident Preventers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a block signal system for railroads adapted to give notice to any train if there is a train immediately ahead.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and simple type of blocksignal system. V

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advanta es thereof, reference will be had to the ollowing description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is an elevational view showing a portion of a track, with the contact elements adapted for operation a passingtrain, indicating the latter in normal position, with the block clear.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but indicating the contact elements in position assumed when the block is occupied.

Fig 4 is a detail face elevation of the signal element.

Fig. 5 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the wiringconnections. p

Referring now to the drawings I have indicated a portion of a track rail at 10, supporting ties being indicated at 11. As part of my improved system each tram is provided with a depending element adapted to operate certain electrical contacts, and this depending element is preferably constructed by providing 'a wheel 12 with aflange 13 of greater depth than the ordinary wheel flanges. Any desired wheel on the locomotive or other part of the train may be employed for this purpose; Y

At the entrance to each block I provide a depressible member consisting of a, lever arm 15 which is fixed on a transverse rockshaft 16 which extends into a switch box 17 located beside the track. Fixed to the shaft 16 within the. box. 17 are a pair of arms 18 ancl19 arranged at a slight angle Specification of Letters Patent.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-ACCIDENT PREVEN'TER.

Patented May 2, 1922. serial No. 522,523.

to'onc another and having respectively a roller 20 and a weight 21 on their free ends. The parts are so arranged that the counter weight 21 holds the lever 15 inclined slightly upwardly toward its free end so as to be engaged by the flange of wheel 12.

Suspended freely from a bracket 23 in the box 17 is an arm 24 having bridge pieces 25 and a hook 26 mounted upon opposite sides of its free end and insulated therefrom. This arm 24 is located in front of the arm 18 so asto be engaged by the roller 20 and swung upwardly when lever 15 is depressed. Fixed to the free end of this arm 24 is a solenoid plunger element 28 with which is concentrically alined (with respect to the pivot point of arm 24) a solenoid 29 suitably supported in the box 17. Mounted on oneend of the solenoid 29 are a pair of comparatively stiff spring contact fingers '30 adapted to be engaged bythe bridge piece 25 when lever 15 is operated by the flanged wheel 12. As shown in the drawings the roller 20 bears on arm 24 comparatively near the pivot end thereof'to cause a slight move- 'ment of lever 15 to impart a larger movement to the arm 24. 'VVithin the box 17 a pair of spring contact fingers 32 and 33 are mounted the .contact'finger 32 being longer than the finger 33 and adapted tobe engaged by the hook 26 when the arm 24 swings, these contacts 32, 33 forming part of the circuit of the adjacent block to that of which the contact studs 30 form part.

- The signal element which I preferably use comprises an electric lamp 35mounted in'a circular housing 36 provided on oppodegrees. To this end of the housing is fixed a hollow vertical shaft 41 suitably journaled in horizontal elements 40' at the top of the tower. This shaft has fixed thereto an an mature 42 located between a .pairof fixed pole pieces 43 provided with suit-able windings. When current flows through these windings the armature is drawn to a position with the red lens 37 facing rearwardly.

The'housing 36 is normally held at right angles to the above mentioned position by means of a coiled spring 43 surrounding the shaft 41 and connected at onerend thereto.

and at its other end to one of the tower members lll. Current to the lamp 35 supplied from separate leads, the circuit to the lamp being closed only when the pole pieces 43 are energized. To this end a cam 45 is fixed to the lower end oi" the shaft 4:1. and is adapted to bear on a spring contact 4.6 and move it into one: .QGflltl'lt with a lixed contact tT. these contacts being included in the lamp circuit and. being suitably mounted on the tower 4:0.

111 the wiring connections one end of the solenoid. coil 29 is connected to one of the fixed contacts adapted. to he ln'idged by bar 25 when lever 15 is operated. Jrorn the opposite end of the solenoid coil a wire leads to the windings 43 of the pole pieces 43 and from these windings a wire leads to the contact 32. From the contact a wire leads to battery Maud from battery a Wire leads to the other contact 30. .zis will be understood the contacts 32, 3 3 of each block form part of the circuit at the preceding block. Current is supplied to the lamps through two leads 56 and. 57 from which branches 5S and lead to the lamp, the switch contacts 46, t? being placed in one of these branches.

The operation of my improved block signal system is as follows: it hen lever if is engaged by the flange of wheel 12. the arm 24; is swung to cause contacts 30 to be bridged. by the bar 25, the circuit being); closed through the coils of the pole pieces which cause the armature 42 to swing through ninety degrees, correspondingly swinging the housii'ig' 8G and facing the red lens toward. the rear. At the same time the solenoid 20 is energized and by its attraction on the plunger 25? holds the bar 253 in engagementwith the contacts 30, keeping the lamps il luminated, and the red le s i chi rearwardly until the lever at the cn-..a1rre to the nextbloek is depressed, the hoolr 26 pulling back the contact 32 and breaking: the circuit. The arm 24: then falls backward, opening the circuit at the contacts ti l while the spring: 43 rotates the shaft ll back to normal position, opening the lamp rcuit.

The shaft 45 may be held in normal position by a lug on the shaft eng 95mg a lug 66 on the tower frame. The wires to the lamp 35 may be conveniently led up through the hollow shaft 45.

- H aving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by .Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a block signal system. an inclined lever adapted to be mounted adjacent a, track rail and. be depressed by a passing train, a pivoted arm adapted to be swung by said lever, asolenoid, a solenoid plunger carried by said arm, an electric signal operating element having said solenoid in eluded in its circuit, and a pair of contacts included in said circuit adapted to be bridged by the said arm.

2. In a block signal system. an inclined lever adapted to be mounted adjacent a track rail and be depressed by a passing: train, a pivoted arm adapted to be swung by said lever, a solenoid, a solenoid plunger carried by said arm. an electric signal operating element ha ving said solenoid included in its circuit; and a pair of contacts ii'icludcd in said circuit adapted to be bridged by the said arm, said contacts com n'ising springfingers mounted. adjacent the end of said solenoid in which the said plunger ei'igraeges.

3. In a block signal system, an inclined lever adapted to be mounted adjacent a track rail and be depressed by a passing train, a pivoted arm adapted to be swung by said lever, a solenoid, a solenoid plunger carried by said arm, an. electric signal operating element having said. solenoid included in its circuit, and a pair of contacts included in said circuit adapted to be. bridged by the said arm, said. contacts comprising spring fingers mounted adjacent the end of said solenoid in which the said plunger engages, said bridging; element comprising a bar fixed on said arm.

4-. In a block signal system, an inclined lever arranged adjacent a track rail; a weighted arm rigid with said lever, a second arm adapted. to be engaged by the first arm, a. solenoid, a plunger for said solenoid fixed on the second arm, a pair of spring contacts arrangedv adjacent one end of said solenoid, a bridge piece carried by said arm and adapted to engage said contacts. an electric signal o 'ierating element having: said sole noid and. contacts included in series in its circuit. and means tor autonmtically closing the circuit through the electric signal when the said operating element is energized.

In a block signal system, an inclined lever arranged adjacent a track rail. a weighted. arm ripji d with said lever, a second arm adapted to he engaged by the first a rm. a solenoid. a plunger for said solenoid lixed on the second arm, a pair of spring contacts arranged adjacent one end of said solenoid, a bric -4e piece carried b 7 id arm and adapted to engage said cont; 1 an electric signal operating element having iid solenoid and .es in its circuit, and

contacts included in means for automatically closing the circuit through the electric aonal when the said operating element is energized. said means including; a shaft, a cam carried by said shaft. and a contact member adapted to be engaged by said cam.

6. In a block signal system, an inclined lever adapted to be mounted adjacent a trail: rail and be depressed. by a passing train, a pivoted arm adapted to be swung by said lever, a solenoid, a solenoid plunger carried by said arm, an electric signal operatrail and be depressed by a passing train, a pivoted arm adapted to be swung by said 15 lever, a solenoid, a solenoid plunger carried by said arm, an electric signal operating element having said solenoid included in its circuit, and a pair of contacts included in said circuit adapted to be bridged by the 20 said arm, and a flanged Wheel on the train adapted to engage and depress said lever.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FRANK RUBY. 

